Manifolding for frozen confection machine

ABSTRACT

An indexed conveyor carries transverse rows of molds beneath a manifold block. The manifold block is connected by hoses to a pair of dispersing units each of which has two reservoirs. Thus a fill pattern of four different flavors can be set up for each row of molds.

United States Patent [191 Betschart [4 1 Nov. 13, 1973 1 1 MANIFOLDINGFOR FROZEN CONFECTION MACHINE [75] lnventorz Robert J. Betschart,Sacramento,

Calif. [73] Assignee: FMC Corporation, San Jose, Calif.

[22] Filed: Feb. 24, 1971 211 Appl. No.2 118,268

[52] US. Cl 62/345, 141/104, 137/515.7,

285/137 R, 425/130 [51] Int. Cl. F2 5c 7/04 [58] Field of Search141/101,104, 82,

[56] References Cited f UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,602,647 10/1926 Carr137/539 X 3,189,046 6/1965 Callahan et a1 137/5l5.7 3,469,863 9/1969Riester et a1..... 285/137 R 3,632,245 l/l972 Getman 141/160 2,850,0519/1958 Rasmusson 141/160 3,249,133 5/1966 Goodman et a1. 141/160 PrimaryExaminer-Wi1lia m E. Wayne r Attorney-1 W'. Anderson and C. E. Tripp 571 ABSTRACT An indexed conveyor carries transverse rows of molds beneatha manifold block. The manifold block is connected by hoses to a pair ofdispersing units each of which has two reservoirs. Thus a fill patternof four different flavors can be set up for each row of molds.

1 Claim, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEUHUV 13 1973 SHEET 10F 4 fi m-HIPINVENTOR. ROBERT J. BETSCHART ATTORNEYS PATENTEDNUV13 I975 SHEET 2 BF 4Q LL PATENTEUHM 13 1975 3. 771. 322

SHEET 3 CF a aoe PIE-LEI 'FIGJE:

MANIFOLDING FOR FROZEN CONFECTION MACHINE DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART TheUnited States patent to Fowler et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,450,070, June 17,I969, discloses a confection machine having a multi-flavor filler forfilling alternate molds with different flavors, the nozzles of which depend directly from metering pumps connected to the reservoirs. v

The patent to Otken, U.S. Pat. No. 3,468,265, Sept. 23, 1969, disclosesa frozen confection machine having multiple reservoirs, the outlets ofwhich are connected directly to a complex dispensing manifold block withtortuous passages.

The patent to Otken, U.S. Pat. No. 3,279,393, Oct. 19, 1966 showsanother form of complex dual nozzle manifold nozzle block.

The patent to Ninneman et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2,975,809, Mar. 2l, 1961,shows manifold blocks connected directly to the dispensing mechanismwith swivel-mounted filler nozzles mounted directly on the manifoldblocks.

The patent to Rasmusson, U.S. Pat. No. 2,850,051, Sept. 2, 1958, showsfiller nozzles on a dispensing-manifold block depending directly fromthe reservoir and at FIG. 4 shows spring-loaded check valves at thelower ends of'the filler nozzles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The frozen confection machine of the presentinvention facilitates the filling of various molds in a transverse rowof molds on an index conveyor in a preselected flavor pattern. Theflavor pattern for the rows of molds can be quickly modified by the userof the machine by simply cutting hoses to various lengths and connectingthem as dictated by the filling pattern.

The filling apparatus of the present invention has the feature that acompletely separate manifold block is employed, that is, the block isnot mechanically mounted on the filler dispensing mechanism. Themanifold block is of straight through flow design, thereby facilitatingcleaning of its passages.

Selected filling patterns from a plurality of reservoirs can be employedby the use of hoses cut to the proper length and connected betweendispenser nozzles of the filler reservoirs and the inlet passages to theangle independent manifold block that performs the actual fillingoperation. Another feature of this invention is the incorporation ofspring loaded check valves in the passages of the manifold block toprevent drip between filling operations.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevation of astraight line frozen confection machine embodying the invention, withthe defrosting and extraction end of the machine omitted.

FIG. 2 is a section through a dispensing unit.

FIG. 3 is a section taken on 33 of FIG. 1 showing the relation of thedispenser units and the manifold block to a row of molds.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary front view of one end of the manifoldblock.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are sections taken through the manifold block on the linesindicated on FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of the hose connections for a selectedfilling pattern from four individual reservoirs.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIGS. 1 and 3 show a frozen confection machine 10embodying the invention and the form illustrated is of the straightline, indexing conveyor type. The filling mechanism improvement of thepresent invention is illustrated as incorporated in a frozen confectionmachine such as that shown in the patent to Rasmusson, U.S. Pat. No.3,031,978, May I, 1962. Although it will be understood that other typesof indexed machine can be utilized.

Only the upstream end of the upstream end of the machine appears in FIG.1, it being understood that the details of the defrosting and extractionmechanism are not critical to the present invention and apparatus suchas that disclosed in the aforesaid Rasmusson machine could be employed.

The machine 10 includes a long brine tank 12 having frame structure 13supported on legs 14. The machine has an index conveyor comprisingendless parallel side chains 16 (see FIG. 3), which are guided on tracks17 and pass around upstream idler sprockets 18, one of which appears inFIG. 1. Similar sprockets are mounted at the delivery end of the machine(not shown) and these sprockets are intermittently driven for indexingthe mold conveyor in accordance with well known principles that havebeen exemplified by the aforesaid Rasmusson patent.

son. Thus, in the fill pattern of FIG. 3, sixteen half molds M1 M16 fitonto a transverse mold bar 20 that would normally accommodate 8 fullmolds of conventional proportions.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, a multi-reservoir fillerassembly indicated generally at F is arranged to fill each transverserow of molds Ml M 16 with a pattern of four-flavors or differentlyconstituted products. In FIG. 1 the filler dispenses to molds that havejust entered the brine tank 12, but it can be dispensed farther upstreamas in Rasmusson, U.S. Pat. No. 3,031,978. A conventional stick inserterI is shown downstream of the filler F.

As seen in FIG. 1, the filler F comprises dual reservoirs R and R1 butasseen in FIG. 3, the reservoir R is compartmented into two individualreservoirs 30 and 32. Also, as is indicated in the diagram of FIG. 7,the reservoir R1 is compartmented into two individual reservoirs 34 and36.

The'individual reservoirs 30 and 32 of the reservoir unit R are allconnected by a dispensing nozzle block indicated generally at 40 and theindividual reservoirs 34 and 36 of the unit R1 have secured thereto adispensing block 42 of the same construction. As seen in FIG. 7, and aswill be explained in detail presently, the reservoirs 30, 32, 34 and 36each servefour sets of hoses 30a 30d, 32a 32d, 34a 34d and 36a 36d,

and all of these hoses connect to a common manifold block B.

The major components of the dispensers 40,42 will now be described, itbeing understood that their internal details are not critical to thepresent invention, and the constructions illustrated are like thoseshown in" Rasmussen, U.S. Pat. No. 2,850,051. Since the reservoir unitsR, R1 are substantially identical, only the dispensing unit 40 for thereservoir R will be described briefly.

The dispenser block 40 runs transversely of the apparatus (FIG. 3) andis supported by a transverse plate 46 (FIG. 2) which is supported onlongitudinal rails 48, the latter being supported by legs 49 (FIG. I)extending up from the frame 13.

The blocks 40,42 each contain a rotary valve 50 (FIG. 2) which isoscillated 90 by a fluid piston 52 and associated linkage, all asdescribed in detail in the aforesaid Rasmusson, U.S. Pat. No. 2,850,051.

The valve 50 is operated by the fluid piston 52 (FIG. 1) and has a rowof arcuate cutouts 56 (FIG. 2) that alternately connect ports 58 fromthe individual reservoirs to dispensing plungers 60. The latter areoperated by a fluid piston 62 and a crossbar 63 connected to allplungers. When the valve 50 is in one position, retraction of theplungers 60 draw in a measured quantity of product. When the valve isturned to the position shown in FIG. 2, the plungers 60 are advanced todispense the product through dispensing nozzles 64, there being four ofthese nozzles for each of the reservoir units 30, 32, 34 and 36. Thenozzles 64 connect to the hoses 30a to 30d, 32a to 32d, 34a to 34d and36a to 36d as can be seen partially in FIG. 3 and completely in FIG. 7.As shown in FIG. 1, the valves 50 and the dispensing plungers 60 for theblocks 40,42 are operated by duplicate sets of fluid motors 52,62 andthese motors are operated in synchronism by a control circuit, thedetails of which are not critical to the present invention.

The construction of the manifold B of the present invention appears inFIGS. 4, and 6. The manifold comprises a transverse square bar 70secured at its ends to brackets 72 that mount clamps 74. These clampscan be adjustably positioned along rails 76 at each side of the machineframe 13. This mounting provides for precise alignment of the manifoldblock B with the molds M, when the latter have indexed to their chargereceiving position.

As seen in FIG. 5, the bar 70 mounts on upper or inlet nozzles plate 80by means of studs 82 threaded into the bar and nuts 84. Seen in FIG. 6,the inlet plate 80 has a row of nipples 86 for receiving one of thehoses such as the hose 30a. The bar 70 is formed with sixteen throughbores 88, lined up with the inlet nipples 86 and having check valveseats 90 closed by a spring loaded check valve 92. O-ring seals 94 makefluid tight seal around the passages in the plate 80, the nipples 86 andthe through bores 88 in the bar 70.

On the underface of the bar 70 a lower or outlet cover plate 98 issecured by studs 100 (FIG. 5) and nuts 102. The plate 98 mounts l6filler nozzles 104 and is sealed against the bar by means of O-rings106.

As previously mentioned, it is a feature of the invention thatpreselected filler patterns can be set by merely cutting to lengthpieces of hose and connecting them between the nipples 64 on thedispensers 40,42 and the inlet nipples 86 on the manifold block B. Thus,as seen in the diagram of FIG. 7, where four individual reservoirs 30,32, 34 and 36 are used, a row of sixteen molds can be filled with fourdifferent flavors or products. Of course, if one or more of theindividual reservoir units 30, 32, 34 or 36 are filled with the sameflavor, a simpler filling pattern can be provided.

The manifold block B can be readily detached from the hoses,disassembled and cleaned and the hoses themselves can also be removedand cleaned or re placed with new, sterile hoses. Because of itsflexible hose connections, the manifold block B can be preciselypositioned relative to the molds without movement of the relativelylarge reservoirs R, R1. Various filling patterns can be selected by thesimple expedient of cutting and fitting lengths of hoses between thedispenser unit nipples and those on the manifold block.

Although the best mode contemplated for carrying out the presentinvention has been herein shown and described, it will be apparent thatmodification and variation may be made without departing from what isregarded to be the subject matter of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. A frozen confection machine of the type including an indexingconveyor having a plurality of transverse rows of open top molds, meansfor passing said molds through a freezing tank, a multi-reservoir fillermechanism embodying dispensing means for filling the molds of each rowwith different products while the conveyor is stationary, saiddispensing means comprising a plurality of depending hose nipples fordispensing from said reservoirs, a transverse manifold disposed beneathsaid dispensing nipples and above the row of molds to be filled, saidmanifold comprising a transverse bar having a straight through verticalpassage for each dispensing nipple, means connecting each passage to aninlet nipple and to a filler nozzle, and flexible hoses connectedbetween said dispensing nipples and the inlet nipples on said manifold;the improvement wherein said manifold comprises a generally rectangulartransverse bar, an elongate outlet plate secured to the lower side ofsaid bar and which mounts said manifold filler nozzles, an elongateinlet plate secured to the upper side of said bar and which mounts saidmanifold inlet nipples, O-ring seals surrounding both ends of eachthrough passage in said bar and making sealing engagement with the barand the associated inlet and outlet plates, means for detachablysecuring said plates to said bar, a spring closed check valve in eachthrough passage in said bar and arranged to be opened only by liquidunder dispensing pressure flowing through each inlet passage, the seatsfor said check valves being formed in the inlet passages of said baradjacent said elongate inlet plate, and check valve springs extendingbetween said outlet plate and the check valves.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION PATENT NO. 3,771,322

DATED November 13, 1973 INVENTOR(S) ROBERT J. BETSCHAR'I It is certifiedthat error appears in the above-identified patent and that said LettersPatent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 3, line 61 insert after the period A valve spring 93 extendsbetween the valve 92 and the outlet plate 98.

Signed and sealed this 29th day of April 1975.

(SEAL) Attest:

C. MARSHALL DANN RUTH C. MASON Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officerand Trademarks

1. A frozen confection machine of the type including an indexingconveyor having a plurality of transverse rows of open top molds, meansfor passing said molds through a freezing tank, a multireservoir fillermechanism embodying dispensing means for filling the molds of each rowwith different products while the conveyor is stationary, saiddispensing means comprising a plurality of depending hose nipples fordispensing from said reservoirs, a transverse manifold disposed beneathsaid dispensing nipples and above the row of molds to be filled, saidmanifold comprising a transverse bar having a straight through verticalpassage for each dispensing nipple, means connecting each passage to aninlet nipple and to a filler nozzle, and flexible hoses connectedbetween said dispensing nipples and the inlet nipples on said manifold;the improvement wherein said manifold comprises a generally rectangulartransverse bar, an elongate outlet plate secured to the lower side ofsaid bar and which mounts said manifold filler nozzles, an elongateinlet plate secured to the upper side of said bar and which mounts saidmanifold inlet nipples, O-ring seals surrounding both ends of eachthrough passage in said bar and making sealing engagement with the barand the associated inlet and outlet plates, means for detachablysecuring said plates to said bar, a spring closed check valve in eachthrough passage in said bar and arranged to be opened only by liquidunder dispensing pressure flowing through each inlet passage, the seatsfor said check valves being formed in the inlet passages of said baradjacent said elongate inlet plate, and check valve springs extendingbetween said outlet plate and the check valves.